updated 08:25 am EST, Thu February 12, 2009

Micron 16GB NAND Flash

Micron this morning said it has started shipping the first production samples of 34 nanometer, 16GB NAND flash memory. The advancement uses the smaller manufacturing process to stack eight multi-level cell storage chips in a single package that holds the record amount without swelling the chip size. Micron sees the component as a way of giving smartphones and other handheld devices a large amount of built-in flash storage while the devices slim.

The design also includes its own memory controllers as well as 256MB of faster single-level cell memory for programs that need quicker access.

Micron anticipates moving from samples to full production before the end of March, but hasn't named customers for the new memory. While one of the densest forms of flash storage, the capacity isn't the largest and is currently dwarfed by physically larger 32GB chips that should be in production from Toshiba and Intel.